Patch Tuesday

I hate Patch Tuesday. Rather, I hate the Wednesday following a Patch Tuesday. For those unaware, Patch Tuesday is the name given by the Internet to Microsoft's policy of releasing patches for its operating systems on the second Tuesday of each month. Due to my lack of preparation (and general laziness), I am almost always surprised when I go to any of the PC's here at DES and find the happy little voice bubble in the lower right of my screen that mockingly informs me that a "really important and useful update has been installed on your computer! Because of this, we (the trusting good folks at Microsoft) have deemed it necessary to forcibly shut down your applications (hope you saved!) and restart your computer! Have a nice day!"

I know I can just set it up to not do this, but really, who has the time to go into each individual setting, and tweak it to something useful? No other operating system (that I know of) does this. OSX requires you to run (on demand) its Software Update, and usually you can find a blog post somewhere that tells you about it. Linux is even more "out of your face" about patches.

I get it. Microsoft is protecting the unwashed masses by taking a necessary maintenance chore, and automating it. No muss, no fuss. Simple.

Only it's not. Look, if the unwashed masses cannot bother to do routine maintenance chores, are we honestly proposing that they are savvy enough to make sure that all of their work is saved (speaking of saves, I dig the autosave feature of blogger), and all of their applications are neatly put away? The VP of DES routinely leaves all of her stuff open, citing ease of use. I can just shake my mouse and go! This is the same person that complains bitterly about "the stupid computer" that restarted and messed up all her work! Then the IT department calls and complains that the VP is complaining again, and what do we do about it, and when are we getting the new servers in, and...

I digress. I understand why it happens, but it is interesting that most larger companies hold off on updates, then roll them out to the masses probably washed by now.

So today, I begin the arduous task of directing the IT department to change the "Automatic Update" settings on all of our PCs. I know the head of IT will thank me for simultaneously decreasing the overall security of the network, while making the IT staff interrupt everyones' work by right-clicking on their 'My Computer' icon, left-clicking on 'Properties', left-clicking on the 'Automatic Updates' tab, then left-clicking on 'Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them', then left-clicking on 'OK'.

The VP will be happy, until the next Patch Tuesday. "Why does the stupid computer keep bugging me about an update? Can't the IT guys just fix this?"

Meh.

Travelogue: A trip to LA

So the DES team travelled to LA this weekend (as I said), and after the usual travel fatigue wore off, I looked around and saw some cool things, and some not so cool things.

Since I am a cynic at heart, I will give you the bad news first: I did not like my hotel. At all.

First, let me warn you that I am not going to actually tell you the name of the hotel, but you will be able to infer it from my description (and this link).

The architecture is stunning. Like something you would see at Disneyland, or a movie studio. Only real. They have filmed movies and TV in the hotel, and it was the home to the 1st Oscar awards. So, already I'm thinking, "Welcome to the Hollywood Tower Hotel..." from the Disney ride, and that feeling was only reinforced by the room. I have stayed in some jank rooms before, but not at $350 / night! Cracked plaster, peeling wallpaper, and whoever installed the crown moulding really needs glasses.

But dude, the place was built in the 20's! What did you expect?

Well I expected a hotel in business that long to actually have figured out the customer service thing. The problems started upon arrival, as the valet considered the group that was leaving to be more important than the arriving guests. But the group that was leaving was The Cannonball Run! I mean just look at all of the exotic cars, man! Nope, don't care. Just want to get into my room, order some room service, and go to sleep, and that 60 minute valet snafu was not to be the only disappointment with the Mill... er...hotel.

More to come!

Average PC is a smorgasboard for a new MP3-eating trojan

From Ars Technica here

Be careful out there people. Really. I'm just sayin'.

Blizz-con opens today!

To Jason, Carlos, Mike, Mike, and the rest of you:

Good luck and have a great show.

To Richard:

You suck, and I am so jealous! :)


Meanwhile, I travel later today with the rest of the DES team deep into the heart of Southern California. No, my friends, there is no time for chatting up ladies dressed as Dark Elves, but fear not! I will be back soon with tales of a adventure the likes of which you have not read within these hallowed pages. (OK - that was quite a buildup!)

Do NOT click on this! You have been warned.

I still cannot get this out of my head. I post this mostly as a public service to warn people of the dangers of the internet. Maybe Stevens was right!

First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. I mean look at what the current crop of weapon / robotic designers were weaned on.

Uh...Robocop...Battletech...Transformers...various forms of anime...you get the picture.

It's a first step, but how long until you can visit irobot.com, and purchase your very own "Shoota", a personal protection robot, with an effective kill radius of 50 yards?

Read the article, and tell me what you think.

Marijuana Does Not Cause Psychosis, Lung Damage, or Skin Cancer

But it does give you the munchies...so I've heard.

read more

Hey other people have bad ideas too!

Take this Intel ad.

Ok, I get the veiled reference to racism. There are BLACK men kneeling in front of a WHITE man! Holy crap!

But, honestly, there are many other ads that are much more racist than this.

My first reaction was, "The 90's called, they want their technology ads back!"

Discuss.

OK, yeah, I switched. What of it?

So, unless you know me, you have no idea what kind of computers I use. I actually recently switched to a Macbook Pro for most of my work, but I use and work on PC's all day. I really enjoy using OS X - everything has an air of elegance to it. I know, I know. You can't run games on it! Well, with everything else going on, there's not much time for gaming, and besides, I've got the consoles for that!

I will always have a place in my heart for the PC, but with Vista looking more like Windows ME 2.0, and with me being such a UI slut, OSX will be my OS of choice for the immediate future.

Your thoughts?

New Parallels beta supports iPhone

This is bad...I mean dogs and cats living together bad. Read the entire article here.

FTA:
"Yes, I realize the irony of syncing an Apple device with Windows running on a Mac, but lots of people need [this]," said company PR chief Ben Rudolph. "Try not to judge."

Try. Not. To. Judge? Are you mad? Isn't this how wormholes are made?

Do you want to Pownce?

I have some invites for Pownce - first come, first served

Hello World...I want to make you...

This is not for me. This is for you. I hope you read this, and are entertained, or moved, or angered, or whatever.
So:

Follow me on Twitter, if you like. I'm Axly.

I very rarely post there, but sometimes a nugget may slip in.

I always welcome comments, and I will mostly leave them alone. However, if you are rude, or crass, or generally become someone I would not feel comfortable around, then feel free to kiss your comment farewell.

OK, ground rules over - on to the fun.